Academy Award Nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role [PHOTOS]

By IBT Staff Reporter On 02/18/11 AT 6:07 PM

The 41-year-old actor played the role of Uxbal in the film about a man in free fall. In 2000 he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor for “Before Night Falls” but lost to Russell Crowe. He was also the first to win an Oscar in 2007 for Supporting Actor for “No Country for Old Men.” Photo: Reuters

Jeff Bridges won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role last year for his work in “Crazy Heart.” He’s back this year and being honored for his work as Rooster Cogburn, a hard-drinking U.S. Marshal in “True Grit.” Photo: Reuters

This is James Franco’s first Oscar nomination even though he’s won a number of other awards. In “127 Hours,” Franco portrays Aron Ralston in the true story of the mountain climber that got stuck in a canyon with his arm trapped under a boulder. James Franco is also hosting the awards show along with actress Anne Hathaway. Photo: Reuters

Colin Firth and the movie “The King’s Speech” have been dominating all awards shows. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, for his part as King George VI. Photo: Reuters

The 27-year-old actor was given the task of portraying Mark Zuckerberg, the mastermind behind Facebook in the film “The Social Network.” This is Eisenberg’s first Academy Award nomination. He is known for his work “Adventureland” and “Zombieland.” Photo: Reuters

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With the 83rd Academy Awards only days away, the anticipation for who will win the major awards is growing. The category for Actor in a Leading Role offers a list of established and talented actors. The movies are all very different - from a real story about the fight for survival in 127 Hours to the portrayal of Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and his rise to fame -- each are worthy of recognition. Jeff Bridges is up for a part for the second consecutive year. Hosted by James Franco, who is nominated for an Oscar, and previous Oscar nominee Anne Hathaway, the Academy Awards will air on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.